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Patented June 14, 1921.

l. SLEFMN.

TERMINAL FOR [LECTROLYHC CONDENSERS. APPLICATION HLED ma. 8, 1919.

INVENTOR Joseph S/ep/n.

TTORNEY WITNESSES:

i ivw' fl STATES PATENT orrlcs O'SEP]; SLEPIAN, or PITTSBURGH, ENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To 'WEs'TmoHou'sE ;-,ELECTBIC &YMA.,NUFAGTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA. If, 4 H 1 1 thGrfOllOWlDgiS E specification.

My; =inventiqn relates to terminals for lo electrodes of electrol tic;condensers, lightningdarrjestkars, rect' ers and the like by :means of} which the electric current enters and {leaves min-electrolytic bath.

-:--1It is commonly known thatithe terminals 15'Iof apparatus of the character above desigmaitedbeo'ome} corroded during use, 'ati the --points where "they .protrudejfrom the, electnolyteinto the air ;or other gases above the electrolyte: 'lhe; rategof; this, corrosion va- 20 ries somewhat withdifierent electrolytes be- -causejof ;'cl1fl'erences1n GhQmIG'dl composition 2 wand-{concentrations riln time, the-corrosion qmaysmeach such deptlitas to cause the elecirodeterminal tmbreak off by reason of its 25- oWn-Weight or by reasonofjars or vibrationsrto whicli it may be subjected. .Some electrolytes, which are electrically satisfactory, -are not applicableto commercial use on aocountjof rapid deterioration of their terminals. Other electrol tes, which are satisfaotoryas first supplie in a short time ,become so concentrated by evaporation that they attack-and corrode the terminals. I

Furthermore, this corrosion or .incrusta- :7 35

otion; of, the terminals,- particularly in elec- ';tI0lytlC condensers, 1s a source of a serious current leakage and, consequently, of a ma-- terial watt loss.

I have discovered that this corrosion of w.

the terminals at the juncture of the eleclyter .andsupernatant gas, andall salt formation upon theterminals at this point, to-

' Jgether withithe-usual current leakagecaused gby thiszo'orrosion, are eliminatedif the voltage between thettermtuals and the immediately adjacent electrolyte is kept at a substantially zero value.

The primary object of my invention resides, therefore, in the provision of a simple and effective means for maintainin a sub stantially zero potential difference etween the electrode terminals and the electrolyte immediately surrounding them adjacent to Applicationfiledi lanuary a, 1919. Serial No. 270,124.

trolyte and thereby i lid'wase- 'the'le continuousservice of suchfapparatusfl,

,A still further object rofgmyf'invention is to provide electrode terr'uinah foxes 5n- 'partl in section an f. T mNAL FQRELECTROLYTIC CONDENSERSI Specification of Letters I Patent. Patented J un 14 1921.

the point whe're the terminals the electrolyte. a Another object of my inventibn is provide an electrode terminal "ior' condensers,

rectifiers, lightning arresters'.,'and the like .wh1ch shall obviate corrosion at the;points densers and the .like b ylthe employment of which the condensers may beinade 'rnorfe compact than has heretofore been foundjp'ossible, by obviatin ,themecesisity of ,pro'vidin .a removablee ectrode terminal 1 accompanyin r in is as, ev ..-p r. ri fslsrat qi i t an e ectrolytic condenser; to' 'whjfohfh 'yf iiivention is a 1ieq,,; rjj;,.,; 1,3, ,;;='4; ;,W

In order to insure a -clear find accurate d st d e r t-F sh .ie sP rnal-Aer 75 Shown n, l c r lyticwcondenser coinprisin a tanlr ,1 formed, ofjglassgor other 'suitiili e material and, an electrolyte; 2 1 'co 'n inqd therein. Two series ,offSuitablefplatesfB of any desirable materiah'snch, iorffinstarice, 80

as aluminum, are alternately connected jijn the usual manner, by terminalsAloif ,sinillar material, the plates 3 preferably, halving projecting portions 5 to which the terminals 4 are connected. ,At the points of emer- 5 gence from the, electrolyte 2, the terminals 4 have a thickened portionfi andfareysur rounded by glassj or,,other 'dielectric sleeves 7, each of which hasj a'n enlarged upper end 8 to receive the correspondin thickened'por- 0 tion '6. As shown inthe rawing, the dielectric members 7 closely surround, the ter- 'minals 4 adjacentto their oints of eniergence from the electrolyte 'ut are "spaced therefrom and, being open at both ends, 95

allow access of, relatively thin layer-seri ls? 'trolyte around the term nals. i By providingthin; :layers', ofi e leotrolyte around the terminals at theirpoints f emergence from the electrolyte, a path for 100 electric current is provided having a high resistance which is into osed between the body of the solution an the point where the terminals protrude therefrom. Further- -more, by providing the terminals with thick- 5 ened portions near the surface of the electrolyte, the capacity current drawn will cause the IR drop in the thin layers of soluvtion to beisubstantiallyequal to the voltage impressediu'pon the. condenser and, conse- 5 quently, there Will bevery littledifl'erence,

if any, of potential between the leads or terminals and the solutioninside the glassor dielectric sleeves at the surface of the electrolyte. By thus insuring substantially zero potential between the terminals andtheel'ectrolyte, where the terminals emerge from the'electrolyte, sparking and resultant corrosion are avoided. fThe reneival of corroded terminals has long been recognized as a great disadvantage in the employmentfof electrolytic condensers "and'like apparatus,'and a simple and sliceti've means forayoiding this necessity of renewing ltlieterminals of the electrodes is consideredja distinct advance in the art, esedia'lly in viewof'theffact that the means fy which this corrosionisnvoided comprises an inexpensive 'a'nd easily manufactured de' vice. 5 1 It is obvious that, by"elnploying the principle' of my invention, various devices may bemanrifacturedwhicliiall'within its scope I desire, ,thereforaffthat no limitations 1 hallfbe imposed other than those indicated in the appended claims; I claim as myinventio'n: f

method'of reventing corrosion of 'ifih termiriahof an e ectrode of a condenser, reufier, lightningarre'ster or the like that [comprises providing increased volume of 'c'or'id'l'ictin "material atfa 'ortion of the ter- 'minallan trapping a in layer of electrolyteabohtthe terminaladjacent the point where it emerges'irom -the electrolyte.

methodbf reventing corrosion of "theftenni'hal' as an e ectrode of a condenser,

rectifier, lightning arrester or the like that comprises providing an increased volume of conducting material at a portion of the terminal andsurrounding the said portion of increased volume and a part adjacent thereto by a dielectric material.

311 method of preventing corrosion of the terminal of an electrode of a condenser, rectifier, lightning arrester or the like that com rises providing the terminal with a thic rened portion adjacent the point Where It emerges from the electrolyte and surrounding said thickened portion and an adjaccnt art by a glass sleeve flared at one end an open at both ends whereby a thin layer of electrolyte is permitted engagement with the terminal near the surface of the electrolyte.

4. In a condenser, rectifier, lightning arroster or the like, the combination"with a container, an electrolyte therein and an electrode terminal projecting from the electrolyte, of means for establishing substantially zero potential between theterrfiiual and the adjacent portion of the electrolyte.

5. In a condenser, rectifier, lightning arrcster or the like, the combination with '-a container, an electrolyte therein and an electrode terminal projecting from the electrolyte, of a dielectric sleeve'disposed about the terminal where it-projectsfromtheisurface of the electrolyte'to provide a thin layer of electrolyte surrounding-the terminalzand for establishing substantially :zero potential between the terminal and the thin layer of electrolyte surrounding it. 4 a

6. In a condenser, rectifier,"li ghtninigflarrester or the like, thecombina'tion wit'la a container, an electrolyte therein and-an electrode terminal projecting from'dhe Electrolyte, of means for laterally screening ofiv a thin terminal-surrounding portion ofelectrolyte from the remainder of the electrolyte and for establishing substantial-ly zero po- 'tential between the terminal and the/terminal-surrounding electrolyte.- p

7. In a condenser,'re'ctifier, lightningfiarrester or the like, the combination' with a container, an electrolyte therein and an electrode terminal projecting from 'the'ele'ctrolyte, of means for increasing}the'current capacity of the terminal adjacent the *sur face of the electrolyte and meansfor increasing the IR drop per unit section in the electrolyte immediately surrounding the ter' minal. I

8. A terminal for condensers, rectifiers, lightning arresters or the like comprising a metallic member having a thickenedpo'rtion and a glass sleeve of suflicient diameter to surround said member and to providea relatively small space between themember and the sleeve.

9. A termina for condensers, rectifiers, 105 lightning arresters or the like comprising an aluminum member having a thickened portion and a lass sleeve flared at one end-and surrounding said member. In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 0 scribed my name this 19th da of Dec, 191-8.,

JOSEPH SLEPIAN. 

